Hello June! Birthdays, music, strawberries, good living!

As usual, Joyce has come up with some interesting questions for this week's Hodgepodge.  Next week she is moving, so we will take a little vacation from the weekly challenge.   Joyce:  good luck with your move!  I hope it goes smoothly.  We are so alike in many ways, and now we can add to the list that both of us have left New Jersey and headed to the Carolinas.   Welcome to the south!!

1.   What's something you're looking forward to in the month of June?  

I have several things I am looking forward to this month.  First, June is the birthdates of both of my daughters, so I enjoy celebrating who they are....and remembering back to their baby days.  I am biased but both girls were SO adorable and I love watching old videos of them!!  That time goes by so quickly.  Both have turned into beautiful you ladies - smart, caring, and fun to be around. 

I am also looking forward to my annual pilgrimage to Nashville for the CMA Festival. This is my 5th year in a row, and I continue to love the time spent there with other country music lovers (it's like a huge happy family!!), and I love the opportunity to see so many, many artists in one spot - over the 4 days of the festival.   This year both of my daughters, along with one of their girlfriends, are attending with me... so it's "girl time" together too! 

2.  In what way have you come full circle? 

Interesting question.  I started out working in the music business - while still in college.  I worked for radio stations...and loved being a part of that world.  For awhile I was Promotions Manager and I attended many, many concerts in the area (at the time it was mostly rock music because I worked for 98 ROCK.)   Once I got married and babies came, I took a break from attending concerts and going to live events.  Who had time?!?!    Now, I'm back at it... see question 1.    I get extreme joy in the "live" experience, and sharing it with those around me.  I also love the connection with the artist and musicians on stage.   Each time is a special moment in time.  

3.  Lonely Planet lists ten spots in America you should see in 2015 and the reasons why.  How many on the list have you seen?  Which one on the list would you most like to see? 

Queens NY,  Weastern South Dakota, New Orleans, the Colorado River region, North Conway NH, Indianapolis IN, Greenville SC, Oakland CA, Duluth MN, and the Mt. Shasta region CA.  

What an unusual list!  I think I need to go read the article to find out why these locations were picked.  I have not been to many, especially to "sightsee."   I have been in Queens, and I have been to Indianapolis (years ago), and Oakland CA.  I lived in Redding CA for two years and it is on the edge of the Mt. Shasta region.  It is a beautiful natural landscape, and Shasta Lake is a big attraction for boating. 

It's funny because I have recently mentioned in conversation with some of my friends that even though I live in SC I have never been on the western part of the state for sightseeing.  I just had a girlfriend come back from a weekend in Greenville and she told me how really beautiful it is with the river and falls going through town.  Nice restaurants, shops, etc.   I need to get up there and see it!!

I have always wanted to go to New Orleans but NOT during Mardi Gras.  I would prefer to go at another time when it's not as crowded and I can get into some of the wonderful jazz and blues clubs, so I can experience the music there. 

4.  A song that describes your mood right now? 

It's morning as I type this...so how about "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens?

I've got to include a Tim McGraw song:  "Live Like You were Dying."

5.  Strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, straawberry pie, or strawberry right off the wine... your favorite? 

I love off the vine (perhaps dipped in chocolate!!) and I also love fresh strawberry shortcake too. My mom used to make a "dinette cake" and we'd cut up lots of off-the-vine strawberries for on top and then pour some cold milk on it.  Yum!!

6.  Aesop's birthday is celebrated on June 4th - although thre is some disagreement to whether or not that's accurate, or if he was a real person.   Regardless, the name Aesop is associated to this day with many well known fables.  Which of the following best applies to something in your life right now?   The Tortoise & the Hare (slow and steady wins the race),  The Ant & the Grasshopper (be prepared), The Fox & the Goat (look before you leap), or The Crow & the Pitcher (necessity is the mother of invention)?  

For the way my life is right now I will go with The Tortoise & the Hare - slow and steady wins the race.  I find I am not in a big rush to get through anything right now.  I prefer to "chug along" and enjoy the view along the way.  I really don't care about "winning" anyway.

7.  The answer is yes...   what's the question?  

Do you enjoy the Hodgepodge?  Do you like to blog?  Do you read others' responses?  

Do you love summertime?  Do you love the outdoors?    Do you garden?  Do you get poison ivy every year?  lol

Do you wonder who has read down this far?   Do you hope the readers get a kick out of my answers? 

8.  My random thought.  

I try to come up with a variety of random thoughts as I blog...    isn't that what makes them random?   So, here's one perhaps I have not mentioned before.   I wonder why some people are not born with "common sense" or at least don't learn it as a child.   Why do some of us see things as simple or basic and others don't?  There's got to be a "something" inside us all that strives for love and peace... and yet, some people seem to be missing it.  They love to create disruptions, or drama, or war.   Is it selfishness?  Power perhaps? 

The news certainly draws attention to those without common sense who don't live within normal boundaries.  

So, for my personal happiness I have stopped watching most news programs.   It just is TOO MUCH!   How much news do you watch each day?  Do you feel like you know what's going on in the world?  (Do you care?)

Sometimes it seems the bad outweighs the good.  But, in reality it doesn't.   We have to remember that!  

Heavy random-ness this morning!!!   ha!!    Enjoy this beautiful day today!!!